President Donald Trump is declaring victory in the two-month war with Iran, even as negotiations over a peace deal continue and no agreement has been reached.
"They want to make a deal badly and we'll see if we get there. If we get there they can't have nuclear weapons you know it's very simple," Trump said. "So, I think we won."
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Trump often cites the number of Iranian vessels sunk by the U.S. Navy over the course of the conflict as justification for why he believes the US has won.
Despite the president's confidence, mixed messaging has emerged from both the White House and Iran in recent days. Trump also posted on social media suggesting bombings may be more intense if Iran does not come to terms with a proposed agreement.
Iran is currently reviewing the latest American proposal to end the conflict. Trump is demanding a deal that includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz, through which one-fifth of the world's oil typically flows. The president posted on social media that disrupted oil and natural gas shipments could restart if Iran accepts the proposed agreement.
Hope that the conflict could end soon boosted international markets Thursday, even though the U.S. military fired on an Iranian oil tanker trying to breach an American blockade.
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While reopening the Strait of Hormuz is seen as the most consequential piece of any deal for American wallets, the thornier issue is Iran's nuclear ambitions. Key questions remain unanswered: What length of moratorium on pursuing nuclear weapons or enriching uranium would Iran agree to? What happens to the uranium currently inside Iran? Many lawmakers on Capitol Hill would like to see it handed over to the U.S. Marines.
Trump is set to travel to China next week, a visit that could add urgency to reaching a resolution. Whether the president wants the unresolved conflict dominating his agenda in Beijing could play a role in pushing toward some form of compromise in the coming hours or days.
